PowerUp! Instructional Unit

Unit Plan Title: Stars and Galaxies
Developed By: Jean Holzkamp
Academic Vocabulary: binary stars, constellation, nova, nebula, galaxy, spiral galaxies, elliptical galaxies, Milky Way, spectroscope, red shift, Doppler effect, big-bang theory, quasars, giant stars, supergiant stars, sunspots, layers of the sun, pulsars, black hole / Grade Level:
8 / Length of Unit:
6-7 days
Science/Math Standard(s): What standards will provide the focus for this unit?
1. 8.E.2.1 Students are able to compare celestial bodies within the solar system using composition, size and orbital motion
Essential Questions: What essential questions will focus this unit?
1.  What are galaxies? What are the three main types of galaxies?
2.  What is the size and shape of the Milky Way galaxy?
3.  How does a spectroscope provide information about distant stars?
4.  According to the bi-bang theory, how did the universe form?
5.  How do the size, mass, color, temperature, and brightness of stars vary?
6.  What are the four main layers of the sun, and how do they differ?
7.  What is the life cycle of a star?
8.  How does the starting mass of a star relate to its evolution?
Content: What topics do students need to know? / Skills: What should students be able to do?
Students will need to know:
1. How the Universe was formed
2. The basic understanding of the Big Bang theory / Students will need to be able to:
1.  Students will be able to describe the groups into which stars are classified
2.  Students will be able to describe the big-bang theory and relate it to the universe
3.  Students will be able to classify stars by size, mass, color, temperature, and brightness
4.  Students will be able to describe the four main layers of the sun
5.  Students will be able to describe the life cycles of stars
Assessment(s): What evidence will show that students understand?
Performance Tasks, Projects: 1. Project on Smartboard Software
2. Class presentations from projects
Quizzes, Tests, Academic Prompts: Pretests from Achievement Series #80468 and #67488 and Posttests from Achievement Series #72396 and #94814, Chapter Quiz
Informal observations/discussions/interviews: Class Participation and discussion, Section questions
Student Self-Assessment: Section questions, self-assessment on class discussion
Planning the Learning Experiences: What teaching and learning experiences will equip students to demonstrate the targeted standards?
This lesson is one chapter from the unit on Exploring the Universe. The chapter will be covered through reading, lecture, and class discussion. The students will complete section questions and activities at the end of the chapter.
The activities done on the computers should reinforce the material covered in this lesson.
Students should benefit from the information that is presented by each student upon the completion of the slides. Each student is given a different topic that is covered in the chapter. Therefore, there will be 25 different individual topics presented.
Technology Integration: How is technology used to add value to the learning process?
Students are using the computers to make a 4-8 slide presentation using the Smartboard Software. They must research their given topic using various search engines. Then they must present it to the class using the computer and smartboard.
Materials:
Computers, Smartboards, textbooks, Smartboard software
Modifications:
Far Below Standard
Student does not meet requirements on project, has less than 4 slide requirement, and does not complete the required chapter assignments. / Approaching Standard
Student meets requirement of 4-8 slides and presents the project with minimal effort, and completes the required chapter assignments with at least 80% / Meeting Standard
Student meets all requirements of the project and presents the project with knowledge and enthusiasm, and completes the required chapter assignments with at least 90%. / Exceeding Standard
Student meets all requirements of the project and presents the project with knowledge, enthusiasm and additional information, ande completes the required chapter assignments with 95% or higher.